Merry Christmas!!

Jack and I had a nice Christmas at home today. He didn’t wake up too early, and actually Moca and I were still asleep while Jack ripped through his stocking 🙂

I’m assuming every family with a boy aged 9-15 had to purchase at lease one Nintendo Switch, like I did. Or at least some gaming equivalent. Right?? It was all about the Switch all day.

I tried to keep the mess at a minimum because just this past Friday I knocked the whole darn tree over trying to get Bella out from under it and to an emergency vet appointment.

Yes, it was a very tall tree. Yes, it was a very huge mess.

Sadly, Bella became very sick very quickly and I had to have her put to final rest on Saturday night. Our sweet girl wasn’t with us for Christmas as she had been since 2003. We miss her terribly. Little did I know (though part of me suspected) that these would be the last photos I would take of my little kitty. 😦

I’ve been keeping myself (and Jack) occupied with many walks on the beach, in the woods and around the neighborhood with friends (ok just Kris), Jack and Moca. Many miles have been logged into my Fitbit as we enjoy our Christmas break.

Now, back to the presents and the mess. Is it terrible for me to ask Jack to crumple up the paper and toss it in the trash bag after he opens each present? Nahhhhh. But he felt a little differently.

Jack: Geez…Anyone else think of Christmas as a chore? (Crumple toss)

me: Just keep tossing your paper over here. You haven’t even gotten one in the bag yet. Come on. Pick up all the twisty ties before Moca eats them.

Jack: Sigh…

We had fun playing Mario Kart, I lost… and watching multiple Doctor Who episodes. Weeping angels!! (Shudder) And tonight we watched the Planet of the Apes first movie, which, I kept telling Jack, was awesome! Finally he relented and “allowed” me to rent it, and afterwards he said he really liked it. Guess we will be watching Apes 2 and 3 this week. Because it takes place in San Francisco it reminded me of all my trips out there. The first was when I was pregnant with Jack. We visited Muir Woods and I have a photo of me at the entrance sign, right where James Franco brings Caesar into the park for the first time. My pants were unbuttoned because I hadn’t yet transitioned to maternity pants LOl. (Moca is snoring right now and having doggie dreams next to me on the couch).

Jack liked the ending scene of the movie which was shot on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Jack: How come nothing like this happened when I was in San Francisco??

me: Apes taking over the bridge seems like a fun time to you? See? I told you it was a good movie.

Jack: It’s not a movie unless the Golden Gate Bridge gets destroyed or mutilated.

me: Touché.

Now we are full of hot cocoa, getting tired and ready for a long sleep. It will be nice having a few more days off this week. (Moca is really running in her sleep here!)

Here’s my view of her right now. Picture all 4 legs running in place and you’ll get the full effect haha.

We hope you had a great holiday and are enjoying the break! Here are a few more photos from today….

And of course the little beast ate her presents already and one ended up in the trash! Pitbulls have strong jaws and a crazy need to chew!! Ugh!

Merry Christmas everyone!

So this is Christmas!

I always get excited for Christmas. The presents and wrapping and lights and music and tree decorations and needles everywhere and returns and fattening food everywhere. Right? Aaahhhhhh.

Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition? I let Jack open one present on Christmas Eve. I think my parents let me open one on Christmas Eve so maybe that’s where I got that tradition.

Every year Jack and I cut down our tree and buy him a special ornament at the gift shop and get hot cocoa, etc. So that’s our thing.I’m all done shopping and wrapping and all the presents from “Santa” are ready to go. I mean, I’m sure Santa has his presents all ready to go 😉

me: So Jack, do you still believe in Santa?

Jack: Really? No.

me: Well then I guess he won’t deliver any presents then.

Jack: Ha. Ha. Not funny.

me: I’m serious, he won’t deliver presents unless you really believe. So do you?

I look back at him from the front seat of the car to see his look of disdain, one eyebrow raised. And to think, Jack first learned about parents delivering presents as Santa by reading my blog.

Isn’t it ironic? Don’tcha think? 😫

Presents upon the return

Jack always somewhat expects a gift when he returns from his dad’s place after a weekend away. I sonetimes give in to the expectation and leave something on the car seat for him to find when he gets off the train. 

Sometimes it’s a toy or snack or something he needs. Last week I think it was a free book I got at the library and some gum. Haha, I know, awesome right?

Anyway the book was 13 Gifts, which I started to read and of which unapproved for an 11-year-old,  and the gum was, I think, Extra with the truth or dare questions in the wrappers.

Anyway, Jack jumped in the car after saying goodbye to his dad. I had just raced the train down the street as I saw it moving parallel to me in the tracks. I was going to be late if any of the lights changed. But I made it just in time.

me: Did you see me racing the train as it pulled in?

Jack: No. 

me: Oh, well it was cool to do the same speed as the train for awhile.

Jack: (looking at the stuff on his seat) What’s this?

me: A book I got at the library. It’s really cool, and I know you’ll like it even though the main character is a girl because—

Jack: I already read this in 4th grade.

me: Oh, wow 3 years ago huh? Ok. Did you like it?

Jack: It wasn’t that great.

me: But the part about stealing the goat was funny.

Jack: You read it??

me: Not really… Hey look at the gum though!

Jack: Oh I wanted this kind, it has truth or dare on each stick.

me: Let’s do one.

Jack: Allnthe dares say to tweet something. I don’t have Twitter. (Pause) Or a phone.

me: Sigh.

I received withering stares in the mirror for the rest of the ride home.

Fail!

Now enjoy the photos from Jack’s new hobby/sport… BMX!

More to come on that!

Merry Christmas “Santa”

   
  

Jack: Why are you so tired?

me: Because I spent all night wrapping this stuff. 

(Oops)

Jack: (stares) See???? I told you there’s no Santa!

  
   
  

Eve of Christmas Eve

me: You get to open one present on Christmas Eve.

Jack: Can I shake them?

me: Gently okay?

Jack: I can’t figure out what this one is.

me: It’s something you need.

Jack: Do YOU think it’s something i need or do I think it’s something I need? If its you then I definitely am not opening that gift.

me: Sigh. We both think you need it. No more hints. Let’s go get cleaned up. Bath or shower? If you pick bath I have a treat for you.

Jack: Bath!

me: Check it out. (I fill the tub and turn on the jacuzzi jets. I haven’t done that for Jack yet.)

Jack: Is this a jacuzzi? Woaahh. My life is gooood! Hear this…showers are now extinct!!!!

Gift boutique and the art of buying presents

Jack’s school is having a gift boutique for a few days where they have lots of different gifty and crafty items for sale that the kids can buy for their family members. An envelope comes home, and we designate how much money our child can spend and on whom.

For instance, I gave Jack a budget of $20 to buy gifts for me, his dad, and his two grandmothers. $5 each.

Jack jumped off the bus with a big plastic bag jangling with goodies!

me: Wow, what’s all that?

Jack: My gifts from the gift boutique!

me: Oh yeah, I forgot all about that! What’d ya get?

Jack: A whole bunch of stuff, let me show you!

me: Well I don’t want to see my present if you want to save it for Christmas.

Jack: (stops) I ran out of money for your present.

me: Oh, but you had $5 for each person.

Jack: I didn’t know that. I thought I just had $20 to spend.

me: Geez I wish the teachers would explain what we wrote on the envelope. You didn’t see that?

Jack: No. But look! Fuzzy dice!

me: Wow. Who are they for?

Jack: I think for Daddy…he likes the Yankees.

me: Huh? Ohhh, Yankee fuzzy dice. Yes, that limits it a bit since there are a lot of Red Sox fans in our family.

Jack: Then I got this multi-tool!

me: For…?

Jack: Daddy.

me: Okay, that looks nice. Lots for Dad, eh?

Jack: And then this was for Grandma, but it says for the best Aunt, so I want to give it to Auntie Kim.

me: Did you get something for your Grandma’s?

Jack: (rummaging in the bag) Uh, no?

me: Sigh. Okay, I’ll give you a few more dollars tomorrow to get your two Grandma’s each a nice gift. Only for them though. You have to concentrate okay?

Jack: What about you?

me: Well, if you act like my sweetest boy ever, then I’ll be happy for Christmas. How’s that?

Jack: (pulls something out of the bag) Ta-DAAAA!!!! Well look what I found in HERE!! (and then in a French accent) Vould you like zomesing like Zees???

me: What’s that???

Jack: It’s for you!

me: You little stinker. You tricked me?

Jack: Yeah!

me: We’ll save it for Christmas. We can put it under the tree.

Jack: First we have to get a tree.

me: Yeah, we’re a bit behind this year…sigh…

Jack: Open it!

me: (always liking presents) Okay, thanks! (It was a really pretty bracelet with 2 X’s on it, with little diamonds) Wow, this is really pretty Jack! How did you know I’d like it!

Jack: It’s 2 X’s like kisses from me.

me: Awwwww….

Jack: You’re very hard to trick you know. Sometimes you just have to back off and let me do my thing.

me: Haha! So you had no trouble with the money and the counting?

Jack: It’s just like getting prizes at the arcade. You count down the tickets until none are left. Same with money. Every kid knows that.

Moscow looks a bit like the Bronx

I’m here! In Moscow. Now I’m homesick…Wahhh…
Luckily our friend has arrived to help us translate! So far I’ve asked for or said the following things IN Russian mind you:
A phone card (no luck)
How far is it to the hotel (our nice driver Evan said 25 kilometers)
What’s your name
My name is
Do you speak English (many people do! The ones that don’t are very apologetic.)
One bottle of water (my brother can ask for his own, ha!)

So yeah, we haven’t eaten yet. It’s 8:05pm. Still very tired…
Jack got pretty upset yesterday when it was time for us to finally leave the house.

Jack: Waaaaahhhh, why didn’t you buy me a ticket!!! (pitiful sobs, then they immediately turned off as this thought occurred to him)…Sniff, but you’ll buy me some extra special presents right? like a megaphone??